Most of the educational institutes in Manipur continued to remain closed since September 9 as part of students’ protest against alleged fake encounter killings in the state.
The All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) and Manipuri Students Federation (MSF) had called upon the student community to boycott classes to protest the fake encounter killings.
All educational institutes, including the Manipur University and private tuition centres, remained closed today. Meanwhile, the All Manipur Students’ Guardian Organisation has decided to convene a meeting at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Imphal East, on October 14 to discuss the issue.
President of the guardians’ body N Chaoba said the students were suffering and the academic atmosphere was disturbed, therefore there was a need to discuss the issue threadbare, reported UNI.
The agitation was launched after a youth and a pregnant woman were shot dead at Khwairamband Keithel in Imphal by Manipur Police commandos on July 23 in an alleged fake encounter.
Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had appealed to the students bodies to come out for talks so that the classes could start.
State Education Minister L Jayentakumar had also appealed to AMSU to suspend the class boycott stir in the interest of the student communities but the AMSU rejected the appeal.
The state government even threatened to take action against all the institutes, but the students did not attend the classes even though some of the institutions were opened.
Meanwhile, the student organisations have announced that a second course of agitation will be launched soon.
They said the stir would continue until the chief minister resigns owning moral responsibility for the alleged fake encounter killings and the guilty personnel are punished.